at the same time with the ceiling of the nave various figures formed the elbow-pieces of these benches, and their poppics for the most part consisted of foliage: some few of the elbow-pieces remain, from one of which the annexed engraving has been sketched.*

* Among the other elbow-pieces which remain in a tolerable state of

preservation are, a muzzled bear, a cockatrice, (?) a chained antelope, and two lions.

L

.

The two birds forming the poppichead is a device of singular elegance. One other poppie-head also demands to be especially noticed: it now is situated on the south side of the chancel, and consists of the upper part of a human figure supporting a shield of arms: the figure is habited as an ecclesiastic,

*

and the shield bears, cut in relief, the
armorial insignia of Spelman impaling
Blake.

The St. Christopher, which appears
in the sketch of the interior of the church
on the south wall of the nave, has been
again covered with white-wash. In the
porch are two flat coffin-slabs, sloping
on one side only; and in the church
itself, three slabs, from which legends.
and shields of arms in brass have been torn away, together

* Immediately above this shield are apparently the letters P. B. and C. S. the latter surmounting the coat of Spelman, and the former that of Blake. Blomefield (Vol. VII., p. 518) gives the arms of Blake, as borne on this shield, "Ermine, on a pile indented sable, bezanty, between two lions' gambs erect and erased, gules, and an orle of escalops of the second, a bendlet over all, vert." This coat is thus emblazoned by Edmonson,“Blake, (of Wimbotsham,) Erm. a pile battely counter-battely, sa. bezantée, between two lions' paws erect and erased, gu. over all a bend, vert." Here is no mention of the "orle of escalops;" nor, indeed, does this charge elsewhere appear as being borne by Blake of Wimbotsham. Blomefield probably mistook the ermine spots for escalops: they certainly do somewhat resemble them in form; but, from their position in the field, it is impossible that they should have been designed for an orle. The pile here appears to be indented rather than embattled; or, strictly speaking, as here given, the pile is partly indented and partly engrailed. The "bend" may possibly be figured as a bendlet," in consequence of the multiplicity of charges accumulated upon the field. The arms of Spelman are, sable, platée, between two flaunches, argent. In this shield the flaunches are diapered, the diaper being cut in high relief.

with one perfectly plain slab, constitute the only sepulchral stones worthy of note.

The church of Wimbotsham is dedicated to the blessed

Virgin Mary.

The advowson of the Church, in the time of Hen. III., was in John de Ingolvesthorp, and appears afterwards to have passed with the manor of Ingoldesthorp in Wimbotsham. This manor extended into Downham, Roxham, Fordham, Dereham, and Bexwell. In the reign of Hen. III., Roger de Welle held it, as appears from an ancient Roll in the muniment-room at Stowe,* from which the following is extracted.

Roger de Welle tenet manium suu de Winebodesh"m cũ libe ten villanis suis t cotar ad illd maniu ptinentib3 de comi? Warenn p 3vic qarte ptis uni? scutit com de dnō r in capite, p quale ŝviciu nescim. Et ht in eod manio unū mest una carucatā terr arabił t xiiij acras pati in dñico unū molenă ad vent libum taur t verre eid manio ptiñ t · facit sectā ad cur? de Castelacr de Pb3 septis in tres septias. Et capit amciamta pisto t braciatorūt hoc sine waranto ut credim. Et clamat hre warenñ p cartã dñi r”.

|| Johs Kyng tenet unu mest viij acras terr arabił đi acram pati in villenag de eod Rogo p ŝvič xxiija. ob. p anñ t̃ dat quolz anno unā gallinā t dat scutag t ħ ad voluntatē đni t Rog tenet de comit? t com de đño r.

|| Wydo de Ingolsthorp tenet ij mest ij acras dit unā rodā Pre arabit libe de Rogo de Well p 3vič xxijd. p annū 't dat ad scutag jd. A Rog tenet de comit A com de đno ip gi nescim. &c.t

qđ

* A survey by jury, of the lands and tenants in Wimbotsham, undated; but, from internal evidence, to be attributed to the early part of Henry the Third's reign. Parkin mentions a carucate of land here conveyed to Roger de Frevil, 13 Hen. III., the same no doubt with the above Roger de Welle. †The services of the different tenants of this manor, to the number of forty-five, bond and free, are recorded in similar terms.

On the same Roll, the Church Property is thus entered:

|| Joħs de Yngolsthorp est ptonus ecctie de Wyncbodesham, ad qam eccãm ptinet xxx acre terr arabit t iij acre pati q's psona ejusă ecce tenet.

|| Cecit fit Emme tenet unã acram t unã rodã terr? arabit libe de ecctia de Wynebodesh p ŝvič ija. ob. p annū.

|| Allex de Newenham tenet unā di acram terre arabit libe de ead ecctia p 3vič uni ob. p annū

୭

|| Gocelin le Ray tia pte uni mes t ij acr's una rod t đi terr? arabit in villenag de ead ecctia p 3vic xa. p annut metet p unū diẽ t đi.

|| Lenore tenet unu meš t iij rod terr? arabit in villenag de ead ecctia p 3vič xa. p annu t metet p iiij dies in autupno.

|| Wit Solomant Ida Bercar? tenēt unū cotag in villenag de ead ecča p 3vič iiija. ob. p annut metet p iij dies in autupno.

|| Rob Bercar tenet iij acras Pre arabit in villenag de eað ecca p 3vic iija. p annūt metet p unũ diẽ t đi in autupno.

The manor passed from Roger de Welle to the Ingoldesthorps (whose name it has retained) in Henry the Third's reign, when Thomas de Ingoldesthorp held the fourth part of a fee of the Earl of Warren. (Test. de Nevill, p. 287.) It was afterwards held by Isabella, his widow, and by John de Ingoldesthorp, as mentioned by Parkin.

In 24 Edw. I. and 19 Edw. II. Thomas de Ingoldesthorp held his court there: he died 1 Edw. III. In 3 Edw. III. Beatrix, his widow, held her court there, and continued till 27 Edw. III., when Dñs Roger, parson of the church of Reynham, John, parson of the church of Mylham, and William, parson of the church of Clenchwarton, held their first court "post mortem Beatricis."

Sir William de Ingaldesthorp, grandson and heir of Beatrix, succeeded: he died 46 Edw. III. (Inquis' post mort'.) One of the Court Rolls of 37 Edw. III. is, however, headed,